Brigid of the Sacred Oak
Twenty years her women spent with the oaks.
Twenty years
to deepen relationship with the Holy Wild,
to grow hands to nourish,
to learn herbs to heal,
to send roots into soil and soul,
to garner Earth’s wisdom,
to become elders and kin among the oaks.
This is our lineage.
The time to claim who we come from is upon us.
In the heart of winter, women gather on the feast day of St. Brigid, February 1. Also known as Imbolc, Brigid’s feast day is an ancient Celtic festival midway between Solstice and Equinox, one that marks a deep turning toward the hope of spring. The women gather surrounded by oaks, the trees beloved of Brigid and the Druids, reflected in the name of Brigid’s monastery, Kildare (“church of the oak”).
In deep relationship with oaks and with the Earth the trees are rooted in, women of Brigid’s time were healers, midwives, counselors, and visionaries drawing from the life-giving Love of the Sacred Feminine.
In our own time of upheaval, loss, and uncertainty, how might we draw encouragement and inspiration from Brigid and the women of the Sacred Oak?
Join us for a weekend’s immersion deep into the root and soil of the Sacred Feminine with stories of Brigid and women who exemplify her wisdom, in whose lineage we stand. Be touched by the quiet presence of the winter landscape, the deep knowing rising from the softly breathing Earth and her resting inhabitants. Participate in guided circles of story and ceremony, dance, drumming, and council. Weave community with women drawn together into a wild and holy journey.
Retreat leaders:
Lindsay McLaughlin,Leah Rampy, Lisa Bardack, and Katy Gaughan bring years of dedicated learning, practice, mentoring, and leadership in retreats, dance, and drumming.
The retreat will be held at Wellspring Retreat Center, on 200 wooded acres just north of Washington, DC in Germantown, MD. The center has a simple and beautiful gathering space and accommodates guests in three adjacent cabins; both the gathering space and cabins are designed in harmony with the wild land around them and feature window expanses connecting to the surrounding woods.
The retreat begins at 3 pm on Friday and ends at 2 pm on Sunday. Please arrive between 1 and 2 pm on Friday to allow time to settle in before the program starts.
A note about fees:
The times are hard economically yet retreats like ours are vital. We are trying a modified sliding scale for retreat fees in an effort to keep the retreat affordable while meeting our costs. The scale applies to individual rooms. All options will cover our hard costs (venue and meals); the variable is with the amount available when hard costs are met for honorariums for the four leaders. Please select what you feel is right for you and for this retreat.
If choosing a shared room, we request that you register with your roommate.
Fees include lodging, six meals, and program.
Single occupancy: $395, $425, $475, $495
Double occupancy: $375 – Register with a friend/roommate.
Space is limited for this retreat. Register early to secure your place. Non-refundable $75 deposit required.
- Register Online
- Pay Deposit
- Pay Balance or Full Amount
- Scholarship Application Form
- Download PDF Flyer